Shiraz Restaurant — Restaurant in Kolkata

I had high hopes when I walked into Shiraz Golden Restaurant near Ajaynagar, EM Bypass. After all, the name Shiraz carries a legacy in Kolkata’s food scene. But honestly? This visit was nothing short of a disappointment—from the food to the service to the sheer lack of value for money.

A Biryani That Had No Business Being Called Biryani

Let’s start with the biryani—the dish I was most looking forward to. But the moment I took a bite, I knew something was off. No rich aroma, no depth of flavor, just bland rice with a piece of chicken thrown in. It was so bad that I refused to take my takeaway order, but instead of understanding, the staff insisted I take it because it was already packed—as if that magically made it better.

Chicken Kassa That Shouldn’t Have Left the Kitchen

If the biryani was forgettable, the chicken kassa was downright bad. The gravy was oily, watery, and lacked any real taste, while the chicken itself was dry and overcooked. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if a small roadside eatery served something miles better.

Average Naan, Sky-High Prices

The naan was just okay—nothing great, nothing terrible, but when you’re paying premium prices, you expect more than just “okay.” And speaking of prices…

₹1101 for This? Seriously?

The bill came to ₹1101, and I couldn’t wrap my head around how they justify it: • ₹704 for two biryanis that lacked even basic flavor. • ₹276 for a subpar chicken dish.

At these prices, you expect something delicious, well-cooked, and memorable—not food that makes you wish you’d eaten literally anywhere else. I’ve had far better meals at smaller eateries for half the price.

Even Basic Hygiene Was an Afterthought

Here’s what really bothered me—they dilute their hand wash liquid with water. I mean, come on. If they’re cutting corners on something as basic as this, what does that say about how they run their kitchen? It’s just not a good look.

This was not the Shiraz I expected. Overpriced food, disappointing flavors, indifferent service, and questionable hygiene—that’s not how a restaurant with this kind of reputation should be operating. If they don’t step up their game, smaller, lesser-known eateries will continue to do better—because right now, they already are.

Would I go back?...

I am writing to express my disappointment after my recent visit to Shiraz Restaurant. While the restaurant positions itself as a premium dining place with very high prices, the food quality and overall experience did not justify the cost.

Firstly, it was quite disheartening to notice that the dishes are being prepared using Dalda ghee instead of authentic and healthier cooking oils or pure ghee. For a restaurant charging such high prices, using a cheaper substitute not only compromises on taste but also raises concerns about health and hygiene standards. We could get this since we saw that after some time when the food items were ordered, the oily gravy of the food got frozen in a 30° C area.

Secondly, the quantity of the items served was extremely poor. The portion sizes were much smaller than expected, and definitely not worth the amount being charged. Customers should not feel shortchanged, especially in a restaurant that claims to be premium.

Lastly, the overall quality of the food was unsatisfactory. The taste was very average, the presentation lacked appeal, and the experience did not meet the standards that the high pricing suggests.

As a loyal customer who values quality and fairness, I feel cheated by this experience. I sincerely request that you look into these issues and take corrective measures immediately. Unless improvements are made, it will be difficult to recommend or revisit Shiraz Restaurant...

Laid-back service. They make you wait an hour for a plate of pre-made biriyani. They will get you the side dish of your order 15-20 minutes after they have served you the biriyani. A simple affair of eating a plate of biriyani with a simple raita on the side in an otherwise completely empty restaurant bar 2-3 customers takes approximately 1 hour in all. It took us 2 and a 1/2 hours. Also they charge you 50 for a glass of soft drink. Where they use the glass bottle that retails for max 15 rupees and then they don't even pour you the entire content of the glass bottle. 1/4 of the soft drink remains in the bottle. They don't even cap the bottle to retain the fizz. And serves the next customer from that opened bottle. Now imagine you are drinking that. To say that I am disappointed would be an understatement. I'm...